Fruit-picker.



No. 666,986. Patented Ian. 29, I90l; G. L. THUNEN.

FRUIT PICKER.

(Application filed June 9, 1900.)

(No Model.)

raaaaz UN TAT a ATENT FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 666,986, dated January29, 1901.

Application filed June 9, 1900.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERHARD LoUIs THU- NEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resi-.

dent of Oroville, in the county of Butte and State of California, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Pickers, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved fruit-picker ofcompact form and of simple and durable construction adapted to besecured to the first two fingers of the operators hand in a convenientposition over the palm, the cutter-blade of the picker being arranged tobe operated by a free and ready movement of the thumb.

The invention consists in the novel features hereinafter particularlydescribed, and defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a perspective view showing the manner of using my-improvedfruit-picker, the view being taken from the under side. Fig. 2 is abottom plan view of the picker. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 33 of Fig. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;and Fig. 5 is a plan view, on a reduced scale, given to illustrate thepicker applied to a glove.

In Figs. 1 to 4 the'device is provided with finger-sheaths merelyinstead of securing it to a glove in the manner that two of the fingersthereof form the finger-sheaths, as indicated'by Fig. 5. In both cases,however, the construction and operation are essentially the same.

The body A of the picker is preferably formed of a plate, as shown, anda flaring opening or slot at is provided in the plate at the front end,ranging rearwardly for receiving the stem of an orange or other fruit.On the upper side of the plate I provide two finger-sheaths B or anyequivalent loops, one at each side of the slot a and opening toward therear of the plate, so that the fingersthe first and second of theoperator-may enter rearwardly to bring the plate into a position overthe palm. The sheaths are secured in any suitable manner, as by rivetsb. On the Serial No- 19,716. (No model.)

under side of the plate Athat is, on the opposite side from thefinger-sheathsthe cutter-blade O is pivoted, as at c, the cutting edge 0ranging adjacent to the slot a. At one side and at the forward end theblade 0 is extended laterally to form the operatingarm 0 the outer endof which is bent downward at about a right angle to form the thumbpiece0 which ranges in a forward and rearward direction at a slight angle tothe longitudinal axis of the plate A, thus conforming to the naturalposition of the thumb of the operator when the device is in theoperative positionthat is, when the fingers are flexed to bring thepicker over the palm of the hand, with the thumb-piece c adjacenttothethumb. A wear-plate or thrust-plate A is secured to or formed upon thebody A and rises therefrom along that side of the slot or opening onopposite the cutter-blade and between the finger-sheaths. This platereceives the contact and wear of the fruit-stem as the latter is pressedagainst and severed by the cutter blade. The cutter-blade is retractedto normal position by a retractile spring D, secured to the blade and tothe plate A, and the movement of the blade in either direction on itspivot is limited by a stop-pin E, against which either one of, twoshoulders c on the blade will contact.

The rear end of the plate A has a downwardly-bent flange a rangingtransversely, which serves the twofold purpose of strengthening theplate and providing a broad contact-surface for the fingers at thispoint.

An eye or ring F is provided on the plate A, and attached to this is anelastic wriststring G for preventing the picker from falling whendetached from the fingers.

The references hereinbefore made to Fig. 5 will suffice, except tomention that the plate A is secured to the glove H by rivets h similarlyto the securing of the finger-sheaths B and also that the glove obviatesthe necessity for the wrist-string G. By arranging the finger-sheaths asshown and on the opposite side from the cutter convenience in graspingand severing the fruit is promoted and a very small and compactstructure is obtained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A fruit-picker, comprising a body having arearwardly-eXtending flaring opening at the front, a finger-sheathlocated at each side of the opening and on the upper side of the body,the sheaths opening toward the rear for entering the fingers from therear of the picker, and a cutter-blade ranging on the under side of thebody and pivoted thereto, the said blade having a thumb-piece at oneside and at a point in front of the fingersheaths.

2. A fruit-picker, comprising a body-plate having a flaring slot at thefront end, and a flange projecting downwardly and ranging transverselyat the rear end of the plate, a finger-sheath at each side of the slot,on the upper side of the plate, and a pivoted cutterblade adjacent tothe slot and ranging on the under side of the body-plate for movementacross the slot, the said blade having a lateral extension beyond thebody-plate at one side, the extension being bent downwardly to form athumb-piece ata point forward of the fingersheaths.

3. A fruit-picker, comprising a body-plate having a flaring slot at thefront end, and a flange projecting downwardly and ranging transverselyat the rear end of the plate, a finger-sheath at each side of the slot,011 the upper side of the plate, a pivoted cutterblade adjacent to theslot and ranging on the under side of the body-plate for' movementacross the slot, the said blade having a lateral extension beyond thebody-plate at one side, the extension being bent downwardly to form athumb-piece at a point forward of the finger-sheaths, a retractilespring connected with the body-plate and with the cutter-blade, a loopon the plate, and a wriststring attached to the loop.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GERHARD LOUIS THUNEN.

\Nitnesses:

O. T. BELDING, J. O. ()SGOOD.

